Jack Grealish was handed a rare start in midfield during Manchester City’s 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest.
Kevin De Bruyne hailed Grealish’s performance, particularly in terms of how he carried the ball and provided a sense of “control” to City’s display.
Manchester City fans lauded Grealish as well for how he fared in the middle of the park against Forest.
After Liverpool’s 2-0 win against City, Pep Guardiola revealed Grealish’s positional change is a tactical idea that he has.
The Manchester City attacker’s statistics from his latest contest indicate how influential he was as well.
GREALISH STATS VS NOTTINGHAM FOREST
KEY PASSES 3
ACCURATE PASSES 56/57 (98%)
GROUND DUELS WON 7/12
LONG BALLS 2/2
DRIBBLED PAST 0
via Sofascore
Grealish would have been delighted to have made such a fruitful return to the Sky Blues’ starting XI as well.
Manchester City's English midfielder #10 Jack Grealish and Manchester City's Portuguese midfielder #20 Bernardo Silva (R) react following the Engli...
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
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Pep Guardiola says Jack Grealish did “brilliantly” vs Nottingham Forest
Recently, Shay Given was worried about Grealish as he expressed that the Englishman is being “wasted” at Manchester City.
After winning the Ballon d’Or, Rodri urged Grealish to improve his performances in a City shirt.
Grealish seemingly took that challenge head-on, leading Pep Guardiola to sing his praises after Manchester City defeated Nottingham Forest.
Guardiola said via BeanymanSports: “Played really good, played in the middle, was involved in many things and hopefully, if I decide to play him in that position, can be involved in the final third, being decisive in the passes and the goals and the assists.”
“But he gave us what we need, our football was always built in the midfield, the quality that makes our tempo and the glimpses of speed that we make outside and in the way you have to play and after the glimpses of speed from outside, but the control of the game, Jack [Grealish] gives us that pace, when to accelerate, how to add more control, he played brilliantly, I’m so happy for him.”
Previously, Declan Rice praised Grealish for his performance as a number 10 in England’s 3-1 win against Greece as well.
Guardiola says Grealish can play as a holding midfielder for Man City
Against Nottingham Forest, the 29-year-old played as a left-sided attacking midfielder when Manchester City had possession.
But off the ball, Grealish often defended in a double pivot alongside Ilkay Gundogan.
However, Pep Guardiola also claimed that the three-time Premier League winner has the characteristics to even play as a holding midfielder.
“I know his quality, he even has attributes to play as a holding midfielder. He has the ability to keep the ball, to break the lines and the composure. But yeah, played really good, with the problems we have in the middle, with the two holding midfielders [Rodri and Mateo Kovacic] injured.”
It will be interesting to see whether Grealish is tasked to play as a defensive midfielder in Manchester City’s upcoming outings.
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